Lucas Hernandez: Did Emily Glass kill herself with a rifle? Experts weigh in on aftermath of alleged suicide

Many questions remain unanswered after the untimely death of a woman who was the only person of interest in the disappearance and death of 5-year-old Kansas boy, Lucas Hernandez.

According to Wichita police, officers responded to a 911 call on Friday morning and found Emily Glass, 27, deceased inside a home off of S. Egdemoor in Wichita, from an apparent gunshot wound. Authorities reported they found a rifle close to her feet.

Glass’ former live-on boyfriend, Jonathan Hernandez, arrived to the home at around 1:40 a.m. and called police shortly after, claiming he found Glass inside the residence with a gunshot wound. Authorities later pronounced her dead at the scene.

Statically, women are more likely to commit suicide via poisoning as opposed to using a gun. If they do use a gun, they generally do not use a rifle or a shotgun, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Yet, it can be done, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan said, although being successful at carrying out a suicide with a rifle will greatly depend on the person’s size and arm length.

“It can be kind of difficult and it limits your ability. A lot of it is going to be dependent on how long your arms are. I don’t really know how big this woman is but she has to position herself in a position where she could actually actuate the trigger and place the muzzle either in her chest or some other lethal area of her body and pull the trigger. I’ve worked cases where people have used their thumbs, I’ve used cases where people have used their toes in order to initiate the trigger.”

On today’s Crime Stories, Nancy Grace discusses Glass’ possible suicide, along with details surrounding alleged child abuse against Lucas, and the reported issues with Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). Forensics expert Morgan also touches on Lucas’ autopsy and why the results aren’t yet available.

If you or anyone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 for confidential help and support.